One step at a time

"if the milestone is too far away, look for a pebble inch." F.Heath

Inspiration comes from many directions, at least it does for me. I am always looking for the connections between ideas. Yesterday I learned that Aristotle believed an individual who had the capacity to perceive resemblances between two separate ideas (a metaphor) and link them together was a person with special gifts.

While I may have always naturally linked separate ideas I never considered it a special gift, but it is nice to believe someone else thinks that.

Working with a horse requires that you are constantly linking different ideas - looking for the one that will connect with the horse at that moment. While there are numerous skills required to start a colt, making the connections between your actions and their reactions is the most challenging as it requires that we can manage both our emotions and responses instantaneously. If a horse can react ten times faster than we can respond we're working at a bit of a disadvantage to start.

No matter which way you look at it working with a colt requires:
- skill
- knowledge
- timing & feel
- a good emotional balance point
- the ability to respond fairly under pressure
- the desire to offer the best solution for the colt

All of which take time - so constantly be on the look out for the inch pebble - or that in the moment result. The colt is only doing what he thinks needs to be done to save his life...... you're job is to convince him otherwise.

Where are you at?

There is nothing like putting a video out there - for the experts to appear. It's an interesting test one could say.

But I stand by what I know and what I do. Thing is it is really easy to get opinionated about what you think you see someone else doing. Long ago I learned to hold my judgement on what I "thought" I saw to see what the results were. When I let go of my own bias's and judgements it was really interesting to reflect on what I learned.

There are as many ways to work with a horse as there are people. The method you chose must suit your personality and inevitably you have to redefine what is within your comfort zone.

How I start a colt is very different than how I might work with a horse who has developed "undesirable" behaviours. That horse wan't born that way, but he learned that from his interactions with humans. As I see it, the way a horse thinks. Is it's worked with other humans why wouldn't this one be any different?

Well I am different and I don't particularly like getting pushed, stepped on or dragged around. So I make that pretty clear. I am more than willing to match the energy a horse puts into being rude with a message that makes it pretty clear - that kind of behaviour is unacceptable to me. Sometimes you just have to speak louder in order to be heard - whispering will just not cut it.

So what some people see as unacceptably harsh behaviour -- are missing some of the prelude to the video and are not seeing the power that a horse can put into what appears to be a minor infraction.

What I do recognise is the change in the horse's behaviour - something that is hard to capture in a 10 min youtube video. As I get better at editing the video clips - I'm pretty confident people will see what I see.

3 Deceptively Simple Exercises

I just received a wonderful book in the mail yesterday - BringingItTogetherDressage.com an approach to a lighter happier dressage horse. Seems Betty Staley & Ellen Eckstein had a similar thought to what I am trying to do with this blog. They just happened to be ahead of me - so definitely look up the book and do order it.

In their book they refer to "3 Deceptively Simple Exercises" which truly are the foundation of a soft horse. The foundation of these 3 exercises, on which a whole book has been written, are three important concepts.

• the horse learns
• the rider understands connecting the hands to the feet
• the riders movements have more meaning to the horse

Both women are accomplished Dressage riders - yet have ridden, many times with cowboys to understand the concept of lightness. Eckstein began her journey with Tom Dorrance in 1977, Staley's journey began with Ray Hunt in 1979. "Each horse is an individual. That's why this is so hard to put in a book." a truth Ray Hunt spoke and a challenge Betty has taken on with this book.

True Horsemanship through Feel & True Unity are must haves in your library - Bringing It Together, helps to lay out the wisdom that the Dorrance Brothers left behind.

In my own way - a challenge I have taken on. When the student is ready the teacher appears - my teachers started showing up a few years ago and I'm doing my best to make them proud.

Stand Still Would You Please!

Standing is one of those things a horse can do for twenty or so hours a day. So it's interesting that getting the horse to stand is a challenge.

The past two videos are really about the same problem - Standing while Saddling, Standing while Mounting and just as easily standing while I brush you could be the third in the sequence.

These problems rarely show up in one session and usually take twice as long to fix as they took to be created. Just as Saddling Sydney didn't end with that video, that was just the beginning. Each session since has been better - one of these days I'll go out and well it will be done.

What I have noticed is going through the process of getting Sydney to stand while saddling has translated to - she is better when brushing, light years better with her feet, she will move over to where I'd like to get on, these days it is a snowbank and all round her manners are better.

All it took was the decision that something had to change. Once I made that decision I needed to continually support and reinforce my own behaviours so I was consistent. Sydney certainly has been - now it is my turn.

Learning the ins and outs

Like anything we tackle for the first time there are learnings - I thought the Mac was equipped with the do it yourself function of publishing video. You know input output sort of thing - well oddly enough, like working with a horse there are a few things that are handy to know before you start. So yes there has been a learning curve.

and just when I thought all was well and good - YouTube has a 10 min limit.

You show me an activity with a horse that takes ten minutes! So beyond the taping there was the editing. However all but done for the Saddling Sydney segment. I'll update you on the next session as I've saddled her once since the taping and it took a few minutes - though not near the production of past sessions.

I mentioned three key things:

Body Language
Repetition
Energy

all elements that are key to being successful in managing a change with a horse.

Once when I complained that no matter what I did to the fencing at our place, our one dog managed to get out and do walk-abouts of the neighbouring farms. My neighbours response "well she has nothing but time"

That single observation changed my whole perspective on working with animals. We are the only animal that times things and sets expectations around that time frame.

If you treat an activity like you have nothing but time - it won't take long at all. Monty Roberts said "act like you have 15 minutes, it will take all day. Act like you have all day, it will take 15 minutes."

This week I will be working with a friends horse - he's suggested the horse moves when he dismounts. It will be interesting to see what shows up before that.

Ray Hunt is a guy I greatly admire - He likely repeated this a few times in his life - "What happened before what happened, happened."

Saddling a Horse that doesn't like to Stand Still

This post reflects the fact that sometimes where a horse starts isn't necessarily where they stay.

What I mean is a horse may well have been started the right way but time, lack of repetition and of course beginning to accept less than the best means little things can slide.

The goal is to have your horse stand quietly while you groom, saddle and accept the bridle.

What is always interesting to me is the reasons people come up with as to WHY their horse isn't standing right now
- the weather
- he can't see his buddies
- it's darker in here than outside
- he's not used to being tied up
- he's not used to being tied up inside
- this is a new area and he doesn't like change

are a few I've heard.

I can use all those same reasons but it all comes down to how I handle what shows up. I'll be posting a video of me working with Sydney. Sydney is both my baby girl and my devil horse. I don't ride her as much as I should, she is a very dominant and confident horse and as you will see is pretty good at throwing her weight around.

I admit I let this get pretty bad - but then I wouldn't have anything to show you if it wasn't. I've seen lots of videos of someone introducing a blanket and saddle to a horse for the first time - the difference is you are working with something that is new to the horse. So you are working through an introduction & possible fear of a new item. Completely different issues than what Sydney demonstrates and what I have seen show up with other probably well started horses that have learned they can push their human around.

Ok I will be filming this on the second day as we spent a while the other day when I realised things were worse than I'd like. But it took a while to get bad so I want to make sure this time it sticks.

There are three key things I want you to watch out for;

My body language
The energy I put into my actions
Repetition until you see a change

I'm fairly confident we won't be perfect after this session and I will have to repeat - Sydney has nothing but time and I know she won't have a problem repeating her actions.

So now on to the filming.

Nancy

Online horsemanship tips to help you in your journey. If your desire is to develop a solid relationship with your horse and experience lightness and willingness in your horse, then I hope this blog will help you.

Whether you have recently started your journey or are well along and looking for support. I will be posting tips, videos and links to other resources you might find helpful.

I've been riding horses as long as I can remember and blogging for a couple of years. So it has taken me a while to tie what I know about horses to a useful source for others. This site will be about things I've learned and if I'm lucky how that can help you. I recognise it's great to have people to follow in your horsemanship journey I've found it can be also challenging when you only cross paths with them once or twice a year.

So this online source is for anyone local, regional or international who might be interested. It will be a combination of written and video additions so what you read might be complemented by what I can show you. If you are local - I'd love to meet you. Looking forward to this.

Nancy - Blogging from Balzac, Alberta Canada